"Philippa's Picks" in Capitol File

I got another opportunity to write about DC artists I like, this time in Capitol File magazine. Featured artists: Robin Rose, Laurel Lukaszewski, and Chris Tousimis. I spent a good amount of time talking to these three but had to condense our great conversations into 75 words each. Not an easy task given how interesting they are and the depth of their work and history.

I also got to interview one of my favorite museum directors ever, Dorothy Kosinski who has been leading The Phillips Collection only since 2008 but has been making quite a splash in the DC art scene. Actually she's not just one of my fave museum directors, she's one of my fave arty people ever. She's really energized the Phillips and I foresee more excellent stuff happening there as she returns the museum to its experimental roots.

Sacred Made Real reviewed

Blake Gopnik writes about the "Sacred Made Real" exhibit that recently opened at the National gallery of Art.

Art review from the WaPo

Review of the "Transhuman Conditions" show at the Arlington Arts Center and a neat show of work by the futurist artist Fortunato Depero exhibit at the Italian Embassy HERE.

Studio visit advice

Artists: Some really good advice for when someone visits your studio HERE. Hell, it's good advice for anyone expecting visitors.

Someone remixed "Art Is ____"

Back in December, Pink Line Project brought you "Art Is ___" with WE ARE SCIENCE! at The Phillips Collection. Months later, we find that someone has remixed our remix! We've really made it.

What do sausage-making, Olympics, & crayons have in common? Come to Patrick McDonough's opening 3-5pm on SUN to find out. http://ping.fm/y6PPP

Review of "On/Off the Grid" at Irvine Contemporary

Marisa Plumb reviews a terrific show at Irvine Contemporary for Pink Line Project HERE.

Photos from last night's Finnish Embassy event!

Finland took the LEED on Green last night!

For more photos go here and here. Thanks to Cory Oberndorfer for an awesome backdrop and to Tracy Clayton and Vincent Gallegos for the photos! And most of all, thank you to the Embassy of Finland and Ambassador Pekka Lintu for showing us a great time!

Finland takes the LEED on Green: Photo Slideshow from The Pink Line Project on Vimeo.

CityDance in Concert: Catalyst

Special Discount for Pink Line Project Fans!
$10 off all $35 and $55 tickets!

Call 202.547.1122 and or Buy online and use promo code "7234"

March 13 at 8Pm
March 14 at 4PM
@ Lansburgh Theatre

Concluding a blockbuster performance season featuring a standing ovation at the VelocityDC Dance Festival and November's sold-out Latitude performances at The Kennedy Center, CityDance's U.S. season finale featuring the Washington, DC premiere of Paul Taylor's Images and a collaboration between Artistic Director Paul Gordon Emerson and Grammy nominee Christylez Bacon promises to be an event that should not be missed.

The groundbreaking concert features:

• CityDance's premiere of Paul Taylor's masterwork Images (check out our video series about this dance)

• An encore performance of Paul Taylor's powerful Last Look (as seen at the 2009 VelocityDC Dance Festival last fall)

• A premiere of Paul Gordon Emerson's new work Little Adorations with live accompaniment by Grammy nominee Christylez Bacon

• A first look at +1/-1 by Choreographer-in-Residence Christopher K. Morgan. +1/-1 will have its world premiere at the Gala Opening Night of the Sareyyet Ramallah Dance Festival in Ramallah in the Palestinian Territories on April 19 when CityDance takes the stage with the Sareyyet Ramallah Dance Company.

Don't miss your last chance to see CityDance in DC this season before the company takes off on its five-week tour of the Middle East in April. For more information on the company, visit them at www.citydance.net. Buy your tickets now!

Limited $20.00 rush tickets will be made available 24 - 48 hours in advance of show times.

$100 VIP Ticket Package
Saturday, March 13 Only!
Receive premiere seating
Post-performance reception with the artists
Limited seating! Purchase today:
Buy online call 202.347.3909 or email CityDance

More creative space in DC

More creative space in DC. YAY! Read more about it HERE.

TONIGHT! Check out VJ Um Amel @ the Fridge!

VJ Um Amel is a poet, activist and digital artist critically examining the nature of digital information and cyber existence in a post-9/11 world. On Thursday, February 25, Um Amel will present Call 2 Presence, an interactive live cinema performance at The Fridge DC art gallery.

In her 30-minute performance, VJ Um Amel (Arabic for ‘Mother of Hope’), an animated cyborg who is also a mother, invites the audience to collectively choose how the story will proceed.

This is how it works: two projections will go on simultaneously. The main projection will show the cinematic story of Egyptian-American VJ Um Amel, along with her robot companions, Femme Bot and Shashi, as they move in and out of media from 1950s Egyptian cinema to present day video games, full-length films, and the Internet in search of Um Amel’s child. Um Amel is a feminist cyborg who shape-shifts from animation to avatar, VJ to mother, from machine to human. Within the film, VJ Um Amel explores her mother’s past as an opera singer and film star in 1950’s Cairo. In this world, she finds love, life, romance, and how to move her hips without glitches.

In its essence, the first projected video asks what hope looks like in the 21st century. Yet as the story progresses, the audience will get to determine how the story ends. They will text their choices by phone, or simply sit back and watch the plot unfold.

On the second projection, there will be a continuous visual display of images as controlled by the audience. The audience will text any key words that describe their reactions and emotions to the performance to a provided phone number. Their texts will automatically generate images from Flickr based on the key words.

Call 2 Presence is an exciting opportunity to utilize crowd participation technologies focused on educating people through art. In Um Amel’s opinion, “a shared procedural literacy among collaborators in digital and new media productions might provide a key to 21st century democratic practices.”

In other words, only the collective can provide the answers to the artist’s posed questions. In a true 21st century democracy, the crowd tells the story together.

Come help VJ Um Amel tell the story on Thursday, February 25 at The Fridge DC art gallery. Doors open at 7:30pm and the live cinema begins at 8pm (30 minutes and then Q&A). After Party from 9pm-11pm to follow. Tickets ($10) are available online.

Check out Call 2 Presence for more information.

Andrew Wodzianski, Artist and Pop-Up Gala Participant

Andrew answers the Proust Questionnaire. Follow Cultural Development Corporation's Pop-Up Gala creation process on their blog, Pop-Up Gala.

Emerge Exposed: Pink Panel - Tickets on Sale Now!

Buy your tickets today to see the Pink Panel on Photography for the Emerging Collector!

Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 at the door.

Tuesday, March 16th 7-9pm

@Long View Gallery

1234 9th St. NW

Washington, DC 20001

Panelists:

George Hemphill, Gallerist

Leena Jayaswal, Associate Professor at American University

Max Hirshfeld, Photographer

Philippa Hughes, Moderator

Guided tour of the Transhuman Conditions exhibition @AAC

Check out this video tour from James Huckenpahler of GW New Media. A behind the scenes look with Jeffry Cudlin of the Arlington Arts Center at the exhibition, Transhuman Conditions.

[Link to the video]

DIY uses social media tools

DIY is alive and well in DC and using social media tools to make a buck! Read more about it HERE.

Hamiltonian Artists Fellowship Program

Hamiltonian Artists Fellowship Program is Now Accepting Applications for 2010-2012 Term.

Deadline: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Hamiltonian Artists, a 501(c)3, is pleased to announce its third annual open call to new, emerging artists to apply to our two-year Fellowship Program, aimed to aid in the professional development of visual artists.

Please refer to the website for application requirements, restrictions and forms. The application process will close at 5:00 pm on on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, and any applications received after that date will not be considered.

http://www.hamiltonianartists.org/apply.html

Please do not hesitate to email or call us at the gallery with any additional questions.

Best of luck!
Hamiltonian Artists is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing professional development opportunities for creative artists early in their careers. We offer a competitive two-year fellowship program to new, innovative visual artists in all media through an annual competition. Artists from around the nation are encouraged to apply.

Hamiltonian Artists
1353 U Street, NW
Suite 101
Washington, DC 20009
202.332.1116
www.hamiltonianartists.org
www.hamiltoniangallery.com

Attention Virginia Art Lovers!

On February 21 the Appropriations Committee of the House of Delegates voted, 15-7, to cut state funding for the Virginia Commission for the Arts by 50 percent in 2010-11 and to eliminate the agency completely as of July 1, 2011. The Senate Finance Committee has adopted the proposal in the budget bill submitted by Governor Kaine not to make further cuts in state funding for the Commission for the Arts.

There will be votes on the House and Senate floors later this week on the proposals from the two committees. The different versions of the 2010-12 budget bill approved by the two house of the General Assembly then go to a Budget Conference Committee to resolve the differences.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW

Virginians for the Arts is encouraging all of its members to do two things:

1. Contact your representatives in the General Assembly, both Delegates and Senators (fax and phone calls best), protesting the recommendation of the House Appropriations Committee. Legislator contact information can be found on the web here.


2. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspapers with the same message.

These actions must be taken in as soon as possible (at least by end of the week) in order to have any impact on the final decisions on the state budget.

Please take action and help us spread the word with other arts advocates in every way (website, email, social networking, etc.)

Talking Points for These Contacts with Legislators and Letters to the Editor

• The House Appropriations Committee, on a divided vote, has made a short-sighted decision about state funding of the arts, proposing a 50 percent reduction in state funding for the Virginia Commission for the Arts in the first year of the new biennium, and eliminating the agency completely in the second year.
• The arts community recognizes the severity of the budget problems facing state government and expects to share in the budget cuts and has already been cut by 30 percent over the last two years.
• However, every dollar that the state invests in the arts through the Commission returns $7 in investment by private citizens, businesses, and local governments.
• The Commission made matching grants to Virginia local governments of half a million in FY 2009-2010 to support festivals and programs generating tourism and attracting business and cultural activity throughout the state.
• The Commission is funded at the lowest per capita level among state agencies of surrounding states.
• Elimination of the Commission would also mean the loss of Federal funds for arts in Virginia ($1 million in FY 2009-2010).
• The arts contribute to the economic vitality of Virginia communities. Localities such as South Boston, Richmond, Lynchburg, Blacksburg, Alexandria, and Petersburg are using the arts as a lynchpin for attracting business and economic development.
• Artists and arts organizations work in Virginia schools to expand educational opportunities for children so important to developing a creative workforce. The arts have stepped in to meet cultural education needs of our children where these programs are being cut in the schools. Funds provided by the Virginia Commission for the arts often represent the only opportunity for children in rural areas to be exposed to arts and culture.
• The arts provide jobs, and cultural tourism as an important part of Virginia tourism promotion efforts.
• Over the past two years the arts have faced large spending cuts, cancellations of performances, staff layoffs, and galleries closing. Minimizing further cuts in state arts funding is essential to the survival of Virginia's cultural infrastructure. CUTS OF THE MAGNITUDE BEING PROPOSED WOULD CAUSE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS throughout the Virginia.
• We urge you to vote against the proposal of the House Appropriations Committee. The small investment the state makes in the arts has a major impact on local economic development, tourism, and education.

Thank you for your essential support! Action by our advocates will make all the difference!
Trish Poupore
Virginians for the Arts
(804)644-2787

BYT and Affinity Lab Launch Contest to Stimulate DC's Creative Class

Affinity Lab and Brightest Young Things are partnering up to offer memberships to the newly opened U St Affinity Lab (across from Velvet Lounge) to two businesses, non-profits, or arts groups with dynamic and innovative ideas in order to support DC's creative economy.

Here is a link to the Contest Post on BYT: http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/i-heart-dc/contest-d-c-s-creative-class-where-you-at/

Everyone always talks about D.C.'s hidden creative class; a chronically highly educated, over committed and extremely frustrated tribe who simply do not have the time or know-how to apply for arts and business development grants from local government or raise capital. More than likely you or your friends are members of this creative community: you might be an editor of a fanzine, the head of a small record label, a graphic novelist, the founder of a new non-profit, a local political organizer, the producer of a film, an events planner, or the head of a disturbingly niche oriented dating website. Whoever you are, you're contribution is vital to our community.

The Affinity Lab is dedicated to coaxing the fire of entrepreneurial spirits in the District of Columbia. With branches in Adams Morgan and U Street Affinity Lab serves as a base camp for creative businesses, start-ups and non-profits providing office space, business tools and a collaborative culture.

Imagine: Having access to an office space in which you can work, learn, meet and organize events.

Imagine: Having access to business tools like faxing, copying, printing, scanning, phones and internet without having to deal with Kinkos or incompetent and immoral telecommunications firm.

Imagine: Having immediate access to the Affinity Lab community of graphic designers, accountants, web developers and public relations svengalis.

Imagine: Having all of these resources for free.

Think about the freedom you'd have to focus on the fundamentals of your business once your structural distractions have been eliminated.

The Affinity Lab and Brightest Young Things challenges the members of D.C.'s creative class to take it to the next level. We are offering two, free, one-month, Affinity Lab memberships to people, artists, or businesses with dynamic and innovative ideas.

All you have to do is:

Describe your idea in 3 to 4 sentences and email it to ideas@affinitylab.com with the subject line: "Let's Do This"
From this group of contestants there will be 2 winners: an editor's choice and a popular choice. Affinity Lab will be in charge of the editor's choice while BYT readers will vote on their favorite submission in a future post.

Winners will be announced the first week of March.

Do women collect art differently?

Do women approach art collecting differently? Read Kate Mattingly's analysis HERE.

Why are all these collectors coloring in Patrick McDonough's studio?

Another visit to Patrick McDonough's temporary studio in which we got to color! Watch the video HERE.

David London's Sunday Circus, tonight @ The Fridge! I'm handing out actual pink mustaches at 6 so you can get your discount on admission.

More info HERE about the show.

The circus is coming! Discounts on admission for the mustachioed

Discount on the cost of admission for anyone wearing a real or fake mustache to:

David London's Sunday Circus
Sunday, February 21
Opens: 5:17 PM
Show begins: 6:17 PM
$12 ($10 for those wearing a real or fake mustache!)

@ The Fridge
516 8th Street SE (rear alley)

Kelly Mayfield- Dancer
Dai Andrews- Swordswallower
Soohan - Comedian
Laura Ernst- Juggler
Anthony Wills Jr.- Singer
Alexa Grey- Poet
Jon Lee- True Improvisation
Eva Brontasaurus- Musical Performance

Recommended for ages 17 and above

GAA! in Farragut Square

Solas Nua hurled in Farragut Square with The Performance Corporation

Yesterday afternoon during the lunch rush in Farragut square, accompanied by music from Liam O' Connor, GAA! participants shocked the unassuming crowd with the traditional Maori war dance, the HAKA and a rousing game of hurling on a snowed over pitch.

Solas Nua, in association with The Performance Corporation, brought a lot of excitement to an otherwise ordinary day. Watch us as we celebrate the one month countdown to St. Patrick's Day. Click the video to see what you missed...

An art show about the beauty of empty time

Tara Heuser writes about "Empty Time," a show at The Fridge and curated by artist Trevor Young. Read about it HERE and go see the show before it comes down at the end of the month.

Dzanc Creative Writing Day: DC

Barrelhouse is organizing the Washington, DC Edition of Dzanc Books' National Creative Writing Workshop Day on March 20, 2010. Workshops will be held across the country (40 states!), with all the proceeds going to support Dzanc's teaching and writers in residence programs. The DC workshop will be held from 1 til 5:00 at the Wonderland Ballroom (upstairs), at 1101 Kenyon Street, Washington, DC. It'll run you $50.

Seating is limited. Seriously. Sign up today.

Our workshop will be a small, hands-on kind of thing, with craft lectures, writing exercises, and discussion. Focusing on elements of poetry, prose, and the new forms emerging from their overlap, this event will give hands-on feedback and insightful instruction to established and aspiring writers, all with Barrelhouse's patented pop culture sensibility and sense of humor. Participants include Barrelhouse editors Dan Brady, Dave Housley, and Mike Ingram, as well as writer Laura Ellen Scott and poet and publisher Reb Livingston.
Oh yeah, we're doing the workshop in the upstairs of a bar. And a damn good one at that. Probably there will be happy hour afterwards. Something to consider, we suppose.

Each participant will receive a free copy of Barrelhouse, as well as ninja style writing skills, and a damn good time. Sign up today!

Art (202) Television

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Announces Premiere of
“Art(202)TV,” on TV-16 Friday at 9pm and Saturday at 11pm

Washington DC, February 17, 2010 – The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), in partnership with the DC Office of Cable Television (OCT), announces the premiere of Art (202) TV, an innovative one-hour television segment that showcases the diverse talents of the District’s art scene. Art (202) TV will be featured on TV-16 of the District’s cable system on Fridays at 9pm and Saturdays at 11pm.

Art(202)TV gives viewers the opportunity to discover the evolving landscape of the District’s arts community. The new show spotlights artistic movements from across the city that are creating and solidifying Washington, DC as a world class cultural destination. Content will highlightgallery exhibitions, performances, cultural festivals, video art, and short films.

This one-hour show will feature originally produced content by the Media Lab of DCCAH covering organizations and artists such as Life Pieces to Master Pieces, Holly Bass and event coverage such as Art Salon. The majority of programming will be acquired from organizations like The Washington Ballet, FotoWeekDC and Washington Project for the Arts, re-purposed for promotional-use to air on Art(202)TV.

DCCAH Executive Director Gloria Nauden says “One of our goals is to raise the profile of our 500+ grantees, who reflect DC arts and culture, and to acknowledge their tremendous contribution to our community. Art(202)TV is the most powerful conduit to accomplishing this goal, leveraging the access to content and distribution. We are excited to work with OCT to present programming that highlights and makes relevant the District’s art scene.”

“Washington, DC has such a rich, diverse artistic history, present and future. We are pleased to partner with DCCAH to include Art(202) in our TV-16 broadcast line up so that viewers can have access to the best that DC has to offer,” said OCT Director, Eric E. Richardson.

DCCAH is currently accepting digital material from all District artists and organizations to be considered for Art (202)TV. To submit video content contact producernapolean@gmail.com.


WHEN: Premiers Friday, February 26, 2010 at 9pm
Continuing every Friday at 9pm and Saturday at 11pm

WHERE: TV-16 (District Cable System-Comcast-RCN-Verizon)

Salon Contra with Nevan Lahart and Kathryn Cornelius

Salon Contra with Nevan Lahart and Kathryn Cornelius
Monday, March 8
7 to 9 PM

Food provided by Eatonville Restaurant.

Please RSVP as space is limited.
saloncontra@pinklineproject.com
We will email you the location when we receive your RSVP.

Nevan Lahart is a performance artist and visual artist from Ireland who will visit Solas Nua for one month as a guest of Solas Nua, the only contemporary Irish arts organization in America. He'll explore DC and then leave us with a new work. He'll be in conversation with the fabulous Kathryn Cornelius, a DC-based performance and visual artist. You can see Nevan's work at www.nevanlahart.com.

Margo Humphrey at the Driskell Center

Ellyn Weiss writes about Margo Humphrey's colorful retrospective show at the Driskell Center HERE.

Salon Contra video highlights

Julieta Cervantes for The New York Times

Salon Contra recap with Christopher K. Morgan and Kate Mattingly. See the video HERE.

Didn't make it to Soup|Art|Beer? You can still donate!

All images by Ben Droz.

A note from Mary & Blithe:

Dear Friends,

This past weekend's project fundraiser in DC was a huge success! We had a great night of group soup making, beer drinking, and wonderful conversation at Red Dirt Studios , where I'm currently a resident artist. We presented our work and plans for our project in the London, and received lots of enthusiastic feedback. We raffled off work by local artists, and sold silkscreens that we made in the spirit of the event and our project at Market Estate. The evening was a wonderful example of what can happen when artists band together to support one another.

On top of that, the generosity of everyone was astounding! We raised $1100, just shy of our $1500 goal for 2 plane tickets to the other side of the Atlantic. We cannot thank everyone enough who trudged in the snowy conditions to take part. We also want to thank everyone who donated online, your contributions were crucial in helping us make our goal.

If you haven't gotten a chance, and would still like to give, we are still accepting donations via paypal. Every little bit is welcome. http://coblerileyprojects.com/?p=17
Also, if you'd like to follow the project we'll be regularly blogging over the next few weeks at http://coblerileyprojects.com

Thanks again!

Recruitment for guerrilla theatre!

Solas Nua is back again to recruit you all for the second helping of our Theatrical Espressos. If you missed what we did on Sunday - check out the video here.

TOMORROW we have a piece we're calling GAA planned. Its a Hurling HAKA! Hurling is an Irish sport played with large ash sticks and heavy baseball size balls. A HAKA is a ritual dance that the New Zealand rugby team perform before a game to intimidate opponents.

We need you to come to our rehearsal this evening at Gonzaga College to learn the moves! It will only take an hour of your time from 9 - 10 pm!!

How to get there:

Because its so cold - we will be rehearsing in Gonzaga College Gym.
Its at 19 I Street, NW, 20001.

There is parking available in the fenced lot next to the Football Field.
The nearest Metro stop is Union Station.

Here's a Map of where it is.

If you get lost you can call: 202 - 903 1413

The piece itself takes place tomorrow at lunch at 1pm... We'll be meeting at 12.45pm in advance to remind you of the details.

You'll be done by 1.10pm! So if you choose your lunch break you can take part!!

The location: Farragut Square!

The most important thing about this piece is its IMPACT. So if you have anyone you can bring along, please do, kicking and screaming if you have to! Pass this information on!!

Matthew Hemerlein at the Arts Club of Washington

Wednesday, February 24 2010 at 5:30 pm

Open to the public. Cost of the program is $20, including wine and hors doeuvres; reserve at 202-331-7282, ext 16, or membership@artsclubofwashington.org by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, February 23. Validated parking is available at the Nation Parking garage on 20th Street between I and K.

www.matthewhemerlein.com

Extension of Art of the Soul

Art of the Soul: A Woman’s View of Sexism & Oppression

March 5-28, 2010
Art of the Soul
Through the lens of Film and Photography
CR8 Art Space
1314 9th Street, NW
Washington, DC

Are you an artist and have a message you want to be seen/heard?! With a successful opening of 200 persons during our first night, Art of the Soul, an exhibition on the unspoken thoughts and feelings of women, have decided to extend this amazing exhibit with a focus on film and photography at the new art space CR8. We are looking for artists to share their film and photography that highlights FGM (female genital mutilation), abortion, domestic violence, and self-esteem/image specifically.

We want this exhibit to be more specific and if you have works or know someone who have works in these areas (locally, nationally, and as far out as we can go) please pass along!

Also, as a COMMUNITY exhibit/event, the goal is to offer workshops to the community for free! If you are a photographer and would like to host a workshop, an organization, artist, etc., contact Kaira Johnson at theartandsoul.dc@gmail.com

Be a part of something great by becoming an Art of the Soul featured artist. You have the option to sell your art and take part in our opening reception with over 150 expected guests where you can discuss your work, network, or explore future opportunities in the DC metropolitan area. With programming scheduled within the space throughout the life of the exhibit, Art of the Soul is more than just a collection of art but a voice for women and all others that have been oppressed.

If interested or if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Kaira Johnson at theartandsoul.dc@gmail.com. To view the artists from the current exhibit and to get more information on our mission and events, please visitwww.artofthesouldc.info.

Anna Sui presents T-shirt in honor of Freer Gallery of Art’s Peacock Room

Renowned American fashion designer Anna Sui has created a T-shirt to celebrate James McNeill Whistler’s iconic Peacock Room in the Freer Gallery of Art. The T-shirt, designed by Sui with illustrations by Sara Schwartz, will be featured in Sui’s fall 2010 line. Proceeds from the shirt will support the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler galleries to benefit and support the appreciation and study of Asian art and culture.

The shirt will be distributed to 250 guests at Sui’s fashion show at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17, and will also be on view in Sui’s showroom at 250 West 39th Street, 15th floor, New York City during Fashion Week (Feb. 11–18), where fashion retailers will have the first opportunity to see it and place orders for their fall 2010 lines. The public will be able to purchase the shirt through the Freer and Sackler galleries’ shops and Web sites, Sui’s showrooms and Web site, and additional retail stores in September 2010.

Sui’s brand retails globally in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Among her many honors is the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, and a spot on Time magazine’s list of this decade’s top five fashion icons.

Sara Schwartz’s artwork has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Korea Vogue and various teen magazines.

The Peacock Room, one of the most recognized and visited works of American art, is the only surviving interior decoration by the expatriate American artist James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903). Originally a dining room in a Victorian London townhouse, the Peacock Room was lavishly redecorated by Whistler in 1876-77 in a blue-and-gold peacock design that features a unique synthesis of Asian and European artistic ideas and motifs.

Art Chat with Veronica Jackson

Art fiend Veronica Jackson muses on a recent trip to Cleveland for the opening of "all falls down," an exhibit of work by iona rozeal brown. See it HERE.

Guerilla Girls ponder O'Keeffe show

In this video, Frida Kahlo, a founding member of the Guerrilla Girls, discusses the work and legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe, whose exhibition Abstractions was at the Whitney Museum before it recently opened at The Phillips Collection.

Watching the sausage being made

I visited Patrick McDonough's temporary studio again yesterday and my report is HERE.

Above is one of his paintings, part of a new game he's inventing. I bet tech nerds will figure out how to play right away!

Salon Contra - The Show Must Go On!

The show must go on! Despite predictions of more snow tomorrow (only an inch or two!), Salon Contra will take place tomorrow night.

A few spaces have opened up because a few people will not be able to attend due to rescheduling the Salon from last week.

This time, we'll see a performance called "Rice," by Christopher K. Morgan, choreographer and dancer with City Dance Ensemble, followed by a conversation with GWU professor of dance Kate Mattingly.

Please RSVP if you can come!

We will serve tasty treats from Eatonville, and delicious wine.

We will email the location to those who RSVP.
(Metro is nearby at the 13th Street/Cardozo station on the Green Line. Also there is parking in the building.)

Guerilla theater & free stuff for V-Day! 11am at Source, 1835 14th, http://ping.fm/1ZKsD

Free stuff and guerilla theater for Valentine's Day

I don't think this will be too shmoopy!

Solas Nua and the Performance Corporation (Dublin) perform their first piece of guerrilla theater today and it's going to be sweet!

Single or attached, we want you to celebrate Valentine's Day with us. So bring your special someone or come solo to the

Source Theater, 1835 14th Street NW

at 11am, Sunday 14th February 2010.
A romantic surprise is in store!

Secret clues to the nature of the event are also being given out on Twitter! Follow us at www.twitter.com/solasnuacht

Please forward this message!

Last chance to see fab George Jenne exhibit and hear him speak at Civilian Art Projects today. 5-7pm, 1019 7th St. NW.

Going to eat soup & drink beer today to support a great art project by Mary Coble & Blithe Riley. http://ping.fm/NiTBc

Hearts & Skulls update: There is street parking around Capitol Skyline and I saw the circulator bus go by!

Special snow deals for non-shmoopy Hearts & Skulls party tonight at CapitolSkyline starting at 8. Info here: http://www.hoogrrl.com/

Hearts & Skulls - TONIGHT!

Please join The Pink Line Project and Civilian Art Projects for an alternative Valentine party devoid of shmoopiness!

Special snow deals!
1. $10 at the door if you are wearing a skull!
2. $89 rooms at the hotel if you tell them you're with the Skulls!

Note: Though this is a non-shmoopy event, a very shmoopy Vincent G. met his girlfriend three years ago at a Pink Line Project event and they are still going strong! Maybe you too will find your Valentine tonight. :)

The party is inspired by the films that inspire the work of George Jenne, now exhibiting at Civilian Art Projects (1019 7th Street, NW), join us to celebrate the Hearts & Skulls of V-Day.

Fatback DJs! (seven of them!)
Free pizza!
Drink specials!
Hearts & Skulls Drawing Contest!
Horror Movies!

Dance away the cheesy romance of this Hallmark holiday and put your monster face on!

@Capitol Skyline Hotel
10 "Eye" Street, SW
Nearest metro: Navy Yard.
Parking in the hotel for $10.

8 PM to 2 AM

Tickets: $10 in advance/ $12 at door
Buy your tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/97900 until 5 PM today.

Do it your way

You gotta do things differently if you ever want to achieve anything great. Read HERE.

Half price tickets tonight if you tell them you're a fan of The Pink Line Project at the door!

"Make no mistake: what Taffety Punk puts on the stage is art. This is unquestionably one of the most successful efforts I have ever seen to put dance at the service of the story." —DC Theatre Scene

ONLY 4 SHOWS LEFT.
Don't miss the most original theatre you will see this year.
With new music by Beauty Pill.

Reserve your tickets now for
suicide.chat.room
call (202) 261-6612
or email us at tix@taffetypunk.com

Feb 11, 12, 13 at 8pm
with a matinée on Saturday at 3pm
in the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint
916 G Street NW WDC

"A dance play of fast pulse and earnest impulse."
— The Washington Post

"Taffety Punk tackles a forbidden subject with stark artistry." —The Express

"An invitation to a necessary conversation.... lyrical and convulsive.... not an easy place to forget" —The Washington City Paper

"A compelling emotional illustration." —DCist


Runs through February 13th, 8pm each night, with a Saturday matinée at 3pm. $10 at the door. Cash money. No credit cards or or checks, please. Reservations can be made by writing to tix@taffetypunk.com, or calling (202) 261-6612.

A new work composed from actual text on suicide usenet groups, this unique departure from conventional theatre combines choreography by our very own Paulina Guerrero with new music by Dischord recording artists Beauty Pill, all woven into an elaborate punk dance theatre concert. Directed by founding artistic director Marcus Kyd, suicide.chat.room features company member Kimberly Gilbert with guest artists Elizabeth Abt, Tonya Beckman Ross, Paul Edward Hope, Liz Maestri, and Faction of Fools' very own Matthew R. Wilson. Click here to read the Washington Post article about the creation of the pieceThis week's City Paper featured an interview with composer Chad Clark about how recovering from a near-death experience prefaced this original score

Washington was wild!

Washington had a pretty wild art scene back in the day. Learn more about one of its wild artists Tom Green HERE.

Go see suicide.chat.room for 1/2 price TONIGHT at 8 (say you're fan of pinklineproject). http://ping.fm/M9UN5

Save the Date and Register Now!

The Emerging Arts Leaders Symposium at American University is an annual meeting for young professionals who work in the arts. It is an opportunity to discuss the issues, unique or universal, that affect arts organizations with students, peers, and experienced professionals.

Organized and run by a team of graduate students in the Arts Management program, the third annual Emerging Arts Leaders Symposium will be held on April 11, 2010 in the Katzen Arts Center. The symposium features keynote address by Ben Cameron from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and TCG, a networking reception, and multiple professional development sessions held throughout the day.

Register Now!

E-mail auartsymposium@american.edu with any questions or comments.

The event is co-sponsored by American University's Arts Management Program, Emerging Leaders Network, and the DC Forum for Emerging Arts Professionals.

Life lessons learned from artists

Some life lessons I learned from reading Patti Smith's new book "Just Kids" HERE.

Poetry Out Loud State Competition 2010!

NEA's POETRY OUT LOUD State Recitation Contest

...an evening of poetry

Come to Gala Hispanic Theater to cheer

on DC students as they perform to compete

in the NEA's Poetry Out Loud finals. One student

will be chosen to represent DC on the national stage.

Save the Date: Monday | March 8, 2010 | 5:30pm

Gala Hispanic Theatre at Tivoli Square

1333 14st., NW, Washington, DC 20010

RSVP by March 3, 2010

For more information,

Contact Ebony.blanks@dc.gov

2010 Environmental Film Festival

Please come to A Launch Party

2010 Environmental Film Festival

Warner Building Atrium

Wednesday, March 10th 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Hors D'oeuvres, Open Bar and Raffle

Guest Speaker: Nora Poullion

RSVP: effrsvp@gmail.com

Admission: $20

Raffle Tickets: $5 each, 3 for $10

1299 Pennsylvania Ave

Enter at 12th and E Streets

Metro Center, Garage Parking

Spontaneous Combustion: POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL!

Spontaneous Combustion: Crafting Performance in the Moment

A workshop in the performance of improvisation for actors and dancers with the improvisational ensemble, Like You Mean It, sponsored by the Taffety Punk Theater Company

LIKE YOU MEAN IT

Noelle Chun, Adriana Durant, Annie Kloppenberg

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP (in brief)

Session 1: Implode (10-12): Expanding possibilities, encountering risk, chance, and choice… play with extremes of consciousness, increasing self awareness in movement, following impulses and surprising oneself in personal movement vocabularies while developing cohesive solo material

Session 2: Explode (12-2): Ensemble Making, Composing in a Group …expand awareness to the whole group and awaken a responsive body that can integrate personal movement impulses with a larger group awareness, alternating between perceiving and generating composition, establishing a group sensitivity.

Session 3: Blow it Up (10-12): Get performance-ready, refining approaches to composition …participants further refine their new ensemble dynamic and begin to recognize and create coherent pieces.

2PM PERFORMANCE: Invite Your Friends! …workshop participants put their new to the test in front of an audience!

@ Flashpoint Mead Theater Lab

916 G Street NW WDC

Sat. Feb. 13 10-2pm (bring snack/lunch)

Sun. Feb 14 10-3, (break 12-1, 2pm show*)

*open to the public, $10

***** POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL*****

Registration: (202) 261-6612

$65 Full Workshop

$50 Saturday only

ABOUT LYMI

The Columbus, OH-based improvisational trio of dance artists performs and teaches workshops nationally. Audiences have heralded Like You Mean It’s simultaneous wit, humanity, oddity, and physical virtuosity. The dancers first began working together regularly as graduate students at The Ohio State University and found their individual and collective ideas about improvisational

performances yielded a dynamic, distinctive approach to group improvisational performance and teaching. Past & upcoming performances and teaching engagements include The Ohio State University, CM2, Agora Arts Festival, Sneak Reviews at Cleveland Public Theater Parish Hall, Ohio University, University of Akron, Oberlin College: (OH); Green Street Studios (MA), University of Wisconsin; Zenon Company Studios (MN), Southern Theater for Minnesota Fringe Festival, Epiphany Dance Experiment (Chicago), University of Michigan, Michigan Dance Project, Triskelion Arts (NYC).

Time to make the sausage

Patrick McDonough sets up a temporary studio in the Gateway Arts Center to work on a new exhibit called "winter wurst/worst weiss". Find out what's he doing HERE.

Matt & Dana's wedding is on tonight at Long View! Snowpocalypse can't keep these lovebirds apart. http://ping.fm/W6zqc

PONGterview: Kristina Bilonick and WE ARE SCIENCE!

The latest edition of PONGterview brings us WE ARE SCIENCE! in conversation with champion pongterviewer Kristina Bilonick. Watch the excitement HERE.

O'Keefe opens at The Phillips Collection

Georgia O'Keefe exhibit opens this week at The Phillips Collection. Intrepid Pink Line Project reporter Elizabeth Ward checked it yesterday and her report is HERE.